The Magician and Fool
by Mystical Authoress
Summary: AU, takes place 13 years prior to the series. A certain magician happens to notice a clown-in-training standing nearby after selling all the bread, and they talk.


**Author note: I don't own Yakitate! Japan. Nor do I own Meister or Pierrot.**

**I was kind of thinking about the backstories of some of the characters, and when I thought about Meister and Pierrot's backstories, I was like 'Hey, they have similar family situations (kind-of) and it's possible for them to have met in their youth. Why not write a fic about them crossing paths in childhood?' **

**Warning: Takes place prior to Yakitate! Japan, Meister will be known as Sylvan in most of the fic (15 years old), Pierrot (9 years old), possible spoilers for Yakitate! Japan, friendshippy MeisterxPierrot**

**Constructive Criticism would be great, and I hope you guys read, review and enjoy! Thanks!**

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_**The Magician and Fool**_

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Magic tricks. That was something Sylvan knew he was great at, as well as baking decent-quality bread. He eventually figured, at the age of ten or maybe younger, that people were not going to eat bread sold by a _child_ of all people on the streets. So, he used his talent of magic to his advantage.

It wasn't easy at first. No one really seemed to pay attention. But after he figured out how to make doves fly out from an empty top hat, he soon became the centre of the crowd. They dropped their coins, they picked up the bread he baked and 'oohed' and 'aahed' at the magic tricks.

Even after he and his sister were taken in by their adoptive father, Sylvan still continued to sell bread. Besides, it was a way for him to earn a little spending money for himself and help save up for further education. He had his reasons to continue this little business. It also gave him a good opportunity to practice his magic tricks not just at home but outside the house, and maybe to explore the streets a bit, too.

And then, one day when all the bread was completely sold out and he was packing up, he took notice of a boy, standing in the front of him.

The boy was younger than he, probably around ten at the oldest, and he wore a simple t-shirt with shorts and running shoes. His pure white hair was short, and he was long-limbed with pale skin. Despite his age, though, he was almost Sylvan's height; perhaps only a few inches shorter than himself. For some reason, Sylvan felt like this boy had been here before, that this boy had been watching him from the shadows of the crowds. He felt as if curiousity emmanated from the young boy, and before Sylvan could ask the boy why he was still here, the boy spoke first.

"I've seen you here before." The boy's tone of voice sounded a tad whimsical as he made such a remark, ending it with a small grin. "You're here day after day, selling bread and doing all those magic tricks."

Sylvan tilted his head to the side, shrugging a little. "Well, I haven't seen you before. Not until now." He answered back, before continuing to speak. "Did you come here by yourself? Shouldn't you be with your parents, perhaps?" He asked, curious and slightly concerned.

"I know my way around the city. And besides," The boy responded, "I don't know who or where my parents are. I guess you could say I'm looking for them." The boy's facial expression didn't look too happy as he answered the question.

"How would you know where to look, if you don't even know them?" Sylvan asked as he crossed his arms briefly, internally feeling slightly terrible for bringing up a seemingly sorrowful subject.

"Well," The boy started as his face suddenly lit up into a grin, "If I become a world famous clown, my parents have got to be able to find me then, right?"

Sylvan smiled a bit at the boy's determination, sparkling in those dark eyes. "I guess you have a somewhat similar situation to my own, then." He responded as he pushed a lock of blond hair out of his face. "My mother died when I was young, about your age or a little younger than that. My father abandoned me and my younger sister. I still don't really know why, but all I know is that I would like to reunite with him someday."

The boy's grin grew really wide. "Yeah! That would be great!" He then paused, before speaking again. "You know, I think I'd want to meet with you again sometime. But not tomorrow, because..." He paused again, frowning a little, before finishing. "The circus I'm living at is going to have a show in Monaco, and I don't think I'll be coming back to Paris anytime soon..."

"...Oh." Sylvan paused, before speaking. "How would we be able to recognize each other, once we see each other again?"

The boy let out a small laugh. "Easy! Hey, you know that trick where you can pull people's coins from behind their ears?" Sylvan nodded once. "Great! Can you do it now?"

"Um, okay..." Sylvan paused, before slowly reaching behind the boy's left ear and pulling out not a coin, but rather a small card, like one of those seen in a deck of playing cards. However, the image was far different than the Kings, Queens, or Jacks. He had a feeling it wasn't just any normal card. "The Magician..." He read aloud quietly, before looking at the boy, who pulled out a card from his pocket. The words on it read 'The Fool.'

"When we meet each other again, we can show these to each other to identify each other! Isn't that great?" The boy spoke, still grinning. Sylvan couldn't help but smile again, but then he paused before asking.

"...Why did I get the Magician?" He asked as curiosity gripped onto his mind once more.

The boy shrugged. "I dunno. I think it suits you." He glanced around, before speaking again. "I have to get back to the circus now..."

Sylvan face-palmed himself, immediately realizing something. "Oh, shoot...I'm going to be late for supper if I don't start getting home now, too...Um...Hey, what's your name, by the way?" He asked.

"My name is Pierrot Bonnaz, world class clown!" He proclaimed, throwing a fist into the air before offering the hand to him. "And you?"

"Sylvan. Sylvan Kirisaki." Sylvan responded quietly, shaking hands with him once before the two started to walk away. "I do hope I get to see you again."

"You too!"

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Many years passed by. Thirteen years, to be exact.

Meister Kirisaki sighed as he leaned against the office window and looked out at the busy traffic below, smiling a bit at the memory. _Pierrot... _It was quite nice meeting him, even if Pierrot was six years younger than himself. Even if the meeting was brief, at least he got to talk with someone and learn that he wasn't the only one in such a similar family situation.

"Um, Meister?" Meister turned to see Kuroyanagi, who looked slightly annoyed. "You have a...Visitor..." He trailed off, cringing a little. "Though I didn't know that you knew Pierrot Bonnaz."

"It's a very intriguing story, Kuroyanagi-kun." Meister answered quietly. "Perhaps if Pierrot doesn't mind I will tell you eventually." Kuroyanagi nodded once and left the room.

Pierrot Bonnaz, world class clown of the famous Quedam circus and also known as Prince Leonhart XV of Monaco, walked into the room and gave him a grin, before taking out a card and showing it to him.

"The Fool." Meister murmured quietly as he took out the Magician and showed it to Pierrot quietly. "You've become one of the greatest fools of all since we have last met, and I have all the chances in the world to show my skills of magic."

"Things have changed, though." Pierrot responded as he took a few steps closer to Pantasia's General Manager. "I've found my parents, but...You haven't reunited with your father, have you?"

Meister shook his head. "Unfortunately not. Despite that, though, I'm still trying to reach towards that." He paused, before speaking again. "Don't worry yourself about me. I know I can reunite with my father. Just...It just takes time."

Pierrot made a motion for Meister to extend his other hand. Meister did so, and Pierrot put The Fool into his hand. "The Fool apparently represents a change of something, but I forget which position of the card shows that." Pierrot explained, before taking the Magician from Meister's hand. "I think there will be a change for you coming quite soon, and hopefully it's for the better."

Meister just smiled back at the world class clown, before looking down at the Fool card. The jester image on the card seemed to wink at him briefly, and he had a feeling it wasn't just any mere illusion.

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**Author note: ...Augh...You can probably tell close to the end I had a hard time there...Ugh. I hope that was okay...And I also hope you guys enjoyed this fic. Thanks for reading.**


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